The Atlas Obscura Guide To Rome

134 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Rome, Italy

Updated June 20, 2023

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Unusual Attractions in Rome

Crypt of the Three Skeletons.

Rome, Italy

Santa Maria della Concezione Crypts

The crypts of Capuchin friars decorated with the bones of over 4,000 friars, including an entire "crypt of pelvises."

Cats lounging on ancient architecture

Rome, Italy

Torre Argentina (Roman Cat Sanctuary)

Hundreds of lucky felines haunt the ruins where Caesar was murdered.

The beautiful Art Nouveau Galleria Sciarra.

Rome, Italy

Galleria Sciarra

This hidden Art Nouveau courtyard is an opulent feast for the eyes.

Rome, Italy

Quartiere Coppedè

Architectureal fantasy quarter of Rome.

The entire ceiling

Rome, Italy

The Dome Illusion

A master of trompe-l'oeil creates a stunning, tourist-fooling dome out of a flat ceiling.

The Aventine Keyhole

Rome, Italy

The Aventine Keyhole

Rome's semi-secret peephole vista is also a former Crusader stronghold.

Rome, Italy

Porta Alchemica

An alchemist's "magic door" stands in the middle of a Roman park.

The Mouth of Truth

Rome, Italy

The Mouth of Truth

The yawning maw of this pagan visage is said to bite off the hands of liars.

See All 134 Things To Do in Rome

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Rome

The crostata, with the storefront in the background.

Rome, Italy

Pasticceria Boccione

In Rome’s Jewish ghetto, a 200-year-old bakery still makes the neighborhood’s historic sweets.

Servian Wall at McDonald's

Rome, Italy

Servian Wall at McDonald's

Inside this McDonald's you can dine on your Big Mac and fries next to a 2,500-year-old Roman wall.

Rome, Italy

Garum Biblioteca e Museo Della Cucina

Rome is now home to a stunning food museum and library.

Poster explaining that a simple dish of pasta is cheap and can help relieve world hunger

Rome, Italy

Museo Nazionale delle Paste Alimentari

This delightful little museum is dedicated to only one thing: pasta.

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From a rooftop bar opera show to gladiator school and espresso tasting.

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Italian Food & Wine: Eating Regionally

Savor local cuisine across Rome, Florence & Venice.

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Explore Rome, Italy

Roman 34

Sacred Spaces 24

History & Culture 23

Ancient 21

Churches 20

Ruins 15

Statues 13

Relics And Reliquaries 11

Relics 9

Art 9

History 9

Architectural Oddities 8

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Stories About Rome

Jupiter riding an eagle in a detail of Caravaggio’s painting.

A Hidden Caravaggio Masterpiece, An Inheritance Feud, and a Roman Villa up for Sale

The future of a mysterious painting by the famed 17th-century "rebel artist" hangs in the balance.

by Monika Schmitter

One of the olive trees at Hadrian’s Villa dates back to the 13th century.

A Roman Emperor's Villa Is Now Producing Olive Oil

Hadrian's estate has trees found nowhere else on Earth.

by Vittoria Traverso

Pages with etchings from 16th-century cookery books.

The Roman Museum With a Taste for Historical Cookbooks

A former pâtissier's culinary collection is now available to the public.

by Eric Millman

Astronomer Gianluca Masi captured this image of the International Space Station passing directly over Rome's Colosseum.

A View of the Space Age From the Classical World

This mesmerizing image brings the International Space Station and Rome's ancient Colosseum together.

by Gemma Tarlach

January 4, 2022

An early inspiration for macabre banquets was a story about a hellish feast hosted by a Roman emperor.

Before Haunted Houses, There Were Hell Banquets

The macabre feasts have their roots in ancient Rome.

November 17, 2021

Podcast: The Capitoline Wolf

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.

by The Podcast Team

November 3, 2021

Children at the edge of Lago Ex SNIA, an accidental lake in eastern Rome that resulted from a construction error in the 1990s.

Rome’s Accidental Lake Is an Urban Refuge and Catalyst for Activism

The body of water, which shouldn’t even exist, has a long history as a source of both controversy and comfort.

by Lidija Pisker

A 17th-century Swiss etching of Emperor Tiberius on horseback, by Matthäus Merian the Elder.

Tiberius, Imperial Detective

In ancient Rome, murder was a private business, unless the emperor took an interest in the case.

by Emma Southon

Lists Featuring Rome

Inside the Golden House.

The Colosseum seen from the Ludus Magnus.

St. Francesca Romana

The 11 Most Interesting Places to Visit Near the Colosseum for Curious Travelers

Including Domus Aurea, Ludus Magnus, and Santa Francesca Romana

Crypt of the Three Skeletons.

Inside the Golden House.

Mithras slaying the bull - Context Travel

Vatican Necropolis.

10 Places to Explore the Dark Underbelly of Rome

St. Valentine's city isn't all roses and romance.

Including Santa Maria della Concezione Crypts, Domus Aurea, and The Mithraeum at Circus Maximus

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